In response to a posting on David Crook's 'A Wargaming Odyssey' I mentioned I had something of a ship building programme of my own. About to sign off, I realised I had a blog posting here - just without pictures. So methought to post the thing here, and add some pics of my sketches. Roughs, you might call them. Enough for me to work from, anyhow.
I've been drawing sketch plans for my Ruberian Navy (RN) using the pre-dreadnoughts Jacky Fisher so despised. I've drawn up plan and elevation sketches - and I mean sketches - for five classes of battleship, but I thought I would add just one vessel - the HRNS Dreadnaught itself. I thought of doing 2 of each of the pre-dreadnoughts.
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This will make a very powerful navy in my Chromatic world - far more powerful than the Turcowaz and Hellenic navies at any rate. And then... I'll have to come up with an OPFOR.
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| Destroyers for 'Mighty Armadas |
I've also been drawing up sketch plans for destroyers for my 'Mighty Armadas'/ Jono's World navies. I have 4 Narvik Class destroyers for the Kiivar Navy (Bismarck types), and will do 4 Fubuki class for the Ra'esharn, and two HMS Glowworm types for the Saabia Archipelago.
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| 'Mighty Armadas' - Battle of Kantsi Strait. This action used my slight modifications to KEV Robertson's simple naval rules. |
Probably a project for the coming winter months.
Naval gaming isn’t especially my favourite - although some minor riverine actions do appeal, but mostly “in support” of the land action. That’s just me though and, of course, the hobby is all “horses for courses” so good luck with your efforts. I look forwards to following how you get on with the builds. I trust you’ll be able to construct the models to the same exacting standard. 👏👏
ReplyDeleteYour sketches are excellent - you’re clearly an artistically gifted chap. Well done.
Your naval game looks like it has a lot of dice. Presumably they all represent something, yes?
Cheers,
Geoff
Geoff -
DeleteNaval games are very much a side-line for me as well, but they do make a change, and, to a war or campaign, add an interesting dimension. I used to enjoy reading naval yarns of the age of sail - have nearly all the Hornblower books, and have a very high opinion of Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey yarns. I'm a little surprised I have never 'got around to' wind or oar driven naval action.
The rule set for the Battle of Kantsi Strait is an adaptation of KEV Robertson's one brian cell, ultra simple 'Toy Battleship Naval Rules'. I've added a brain cell to cater for different ship types - the three here being IJN Yamato, KMS Bismarck and USS Iowa (?). The Bismarck being considered the benchmark for primary gunpower and protection, the others were modified by their differences from that benchmark. The dice related to numbers of guns, plus or minus 10% per inch difference in calibre. The 'Yamato' came out as a very formidable type!
Of course, Japan built just three of that type - and one of those (IJN Shinano) was converted into a kind of aircraft carrier - and I have four. In 'Jono's World' they are the monster 'Cacadaemon' class - all with 'monster' names.
I played these actions on a gridded board, but the original rule set posits a 'free table' (or floor), with much longer ranges than I allowed here.
Cheers,
Ion
Archduke Piccolo,
ReplyDeleteThere’s some great-looking designs in you sketchbook, and I look forward to seeing the completed models.
All the best,
Bob
Bob -
DeleteSketchbook! I wish! These drawings - and other bits and pieces of battle maps, scenario designs, campaign maps, orders of battle and mathematical exercises appear on odd bits of paper that fetch up scatttered about. Like those 't's in 'scatttered'. For this blog I blotted out the letterhead of an earthquake-munted hotel (several leaves of which I 'rescued' about 10 years back), and odd mathematical jottings, and the phone number of the tree guy who is coming on Monday to deal with a couple of arboreal monsters trying to take over the planet.
I do have the odd folder kicking around somewhere. I really ought to use them... :-D
Cheers,
Ion
Your very good at free-hand sketches ION- will be good to see the ships build later on.
ReplyDeleteCheers, KEV
DeleteYour one-page naval rules gave me the impetus to do something AT LAST with my 'Mighty Armada's' vessels. Limited as they are, I have found myself adding an extra class of ships - destroyers. At some point I'll be adding in aircraft to put on the carriers!
All the best,
Ion
Where can I find these one-page rules, gentlemen?
DeleteGood question, Jennifer. I printed out a copy a good while back, but I can't find them on KEV's hobby site. I posted this about 4 years ago:
Deletehttp://archdukepiccolo.blogspot.com/2019/08/mighty-armadas.html
In that article the link to KEV's rule set no longer seems to work.
The posting after that you might find entertaining. What I could do maybe is write up KEV's rule set on my own blog spot, and add in the 'chrome' as an optional extra.
Cheers,
Ion
Looking back through my postings, I found this.
Deletehttp://archdukepiccolo.blogspot.com/2019/12/ultra-simple-naval-games.html
I love these sketches. Sounds a bit like the "reduction" suggestions from Donald Featherstone's Naval Wargames for pre-dreadnoughts, which always intrigued me.
ReplyDeleteJennifer -
DeleteI don't think I've ever seen Don Featherstone's book on naval war games - or, if I have, it must have been a long, long time ago. If you ever find a copy of Paul Hague's book 'Sea Battles in Miniature', grab it with both hands. It full of interesting ideas. I wish I had a copy!
Cheers,
Ion
Hi Ion...I have always had an interest in naval things...I have quite a few relevant books...the idea of building a navy has always appealed to me, not for gaming but just to have much like my "screw" soldiers. Your sketches are admirable and I too look forward to seeing the resultant models in all their glory in due course....Regards.
ReplyDeleteTony -
DeleteYou might be interested in this;
http://archdukepiccolo.blogspot.com/2011/08/jonos-world-raesharn-navy.html
Cheers,
Ion
Thanks for the link. A very interesting post. You certainly have a good looking navy already. Very much looking forward to the new one. Please post construction details....Regards.
DeleteI've finally collected some basswood and beginner's knives. Are any of your posts about construction? I could use some tips!
ReplyDeleteI can't supply a tutorial, but this posting...
Deletehttps://archdukepiccolo.blogspot.com/2020/10/first-blacklands-war-naval-developments.html...
...and a couple of subsequent will give you the idea of how I went about it. The lack of tutorial is due to my 'playing by ear' the whole process. But the 'pre-painted views I think will provide some information.
You'll find the construction what I call 'Chubby Marine' - a kind of play on the Japanese 'Chibi Maru' kitsets. They are 'cartooned' versions of the originals. Length scale 1:1000; beam scale 1:450 - all very approximate. They are designed to fit my 4" hex-grid cells. Here's a fleet action:
https://archdukepiccolo.blogspot.com/2020/12/first-blacklands-war-war-at-sea-battle.html
Cheers,
Ion